THIS must be the most lacklustre election the people of the UK have faced. Large swathes of the population know little and care less of the goings on in parliament and I suspect a very low turnout.

The reason is everything we see and hear is heavily stage managed by spin doctors who control everything in minute detail. Political rallies are only attended by carefully vetted audiences of activists. A lucky few will be given pre-loaded advantageous questions to ask, therefore avoiding awkward questions which are the questions we want answering.

This stifles any meaningful debate and is slowly killing our democracy.

So far our main parties are obstructive in giving a straight answer on the most basic questions which we need to know such as where are the spending cuts going to hit the hardest. Labour say there will be austerity but it will be eased in a decade or so but there will be targeted cuts.

The Tories refuse to discuss this important issue but knowing them the people facing the brunt will be the poorest i.e. the sick and disabled, our senior citizens who depend on social services and our young people who seek meaningful employment with decent conditions.

I won't be voting as our parliament is already full of public school clones who haven't a clue how to run a country.

However, I will give my prediction: a supply and demand arrangement between Labour and the SNP. I think stormy waters are ahead for all of us mere mortals.

Mr H Bradbury, Loughrigg Avenue (via email)